Did the Japanese Thriller with some friends for my birdday and we had a lot of fun! I wished we could've done the room by ourselves instead of being paired with strangers, but at least we made it out with less than a minute left! However, the Japanese Thriller barely felt on theme with the serial killer storyline other than the introduction video we received. I prefer escape rooms where I actually feel like I'm part of the story. This was a very different escape room than I have done before. While you always have to split up for escape rooms, this time we were forced to separate between multiple rooms so you had no idea how the other group was doing (this isn't great when you're forced to solve the room with strangers because you have no idea if they know what they're doing). It was definitely more chaotic than other escape rooms I've done. The rooms were small and they use locks for a lot of the puzzles, which isn't innovative. They also forgot to put back one of the pieces we needed to get the final combination, so we almost didn't make it out because we had to keep guessing. HOWEVER, the worst part of the entire experience was how RUDE the man was that was helping us on the walkie talkie. He would give us attitude every time we asked for a clue. Why give clues if you're going to rude when people use them? read more

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Our visit was scheduled online for the Japanese Thrilled Escape Theme Room. We arrived and it was a bit disappointing to see a homeless person sprawled out asleep and nearly blocking the entrance to the stairwell if this business. It is in an apartment complex in Hillcrest, and it is upstairs. So sad that the homeless problem has affected San Diego so much. We weren't sure if the homeless man was alive or not, but one person in our party said that could see him breathing. We then climbed the stairs to the business. We were greeted by a nice man who invited us in. We sat in the business lobby, awaiting our instructions. The nice man gave us our instructions, and some game playing tips. We would solve in 4 rooms, as a group, and we had a certain amount of time for the escape game. Cons: The rooms of this location are a bit shabby. They seem to be worn, old, and dusty. The escape game items are somewhat dirty and could use some refreshing. We had a hard time touching the materials for clues because they seemed "touched" by many other hands before ours. The lighting is a bit problematic. The walls and overall room settings are not in the best condition (and I don't mean creepy nor horror best, but needing a good refresh/cleaning wipe down). The sad homeless situation at the entry of the business was disappointing. Pros: The clues are great and playing the Japanese Thriller Escape Room game is super challenging. The staff person who greeted us and setup our group escape room was very customer service oriented. We will try the other locations to see if they are a bit more updated and cleaner. read more

Escape Game SD - Group photo at Hillcrest Location - Escape Games Near Me - San Diego, California

I did the Japanese horror escape room and it was so fun and scary! It was a very immersive experience, starting with an introduction video about the theme of the room and a cool room atmosphere. I found it to be better than a haunted house, cuz I was so enveloped with figuring out the clues that I would forget about the scares and I never knew when the scares would come. It was a multi room escape room and I would consider it a medium to hard level. Our game master was super friendly and helpful when we needed hints. I think we did a total of two hint through out the game and we managed to beat the clock and got out in time! The parking wasn't the best, it was all street parking with meters. When you get to the location it is a bit hard to find the front door because it is on the back side of the building up some stairs. But there is some signage to help you find the door if you get lost. read more

Escape Game SD - Waiting area - Escape Games Near Me - San Diego, California

This was my first escape room and it was super fun! We did the Japanese Thriller room and it was definitely spooky! Rob was an awesome host and really seemed like he liked his job. The puzzles were fun and challenging and everyone got very into it. Hoping to do another room soon! read more

Escape Game SD - Escape Games Near Me - San Diego, California

My teen and his buddies had a ridiculously fun time trying to solve clues while getting jump scared every few minutes in the Japanese Thriller Room (which is actually comprised of 3 different rooms, just FYI)! Game master Rob was super helpful and patient, providing hints and even allowing them extra time at the end of the official 60 minute period so they could have the satisfaction of "escaping" after all their hard work. Pro tip: if you're coming before 8 pm, bring change for the parking meters in case the machines aren't properly accepting Apple Pay! read more

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Definitely the best of the best escape rooms in San Diego. We have done six now in total in San Diego and this was the best. Yeah it's a little more pricey but it's also a premium room. The puzzles are well thought out. And the rooms are built with a lot of thought love and even technology. Definitely going back ! Also we did it! 13 minutes on the counter but we did it and with no clues. read more

Escape Game SD - We did it. - Escape Games Near Me - San Diego, California

Came here today on a double date with our friends. We selected to play the Game Show since we all hadn't done anything like it before and we had such a blast!!! Rob's sense of humor is unmatched and he definitely reflects the energy of the group! We were laughing, cheering, and having such an amazing time! I definitely recommend this place for a fun double-date idea! Rob is the man! We will definitely come back to try out the actual escape rooms! read more

Had a really fun time here with friends for my first escape room! Don't expect it to be fancy, but if you bring a good attitude it's a lot of fun. Lief was a down to earth host who made us feel comfortable! read more

I completed the Japanese Thriller room, it was awesome! I was with a very nervous group, but still its not so scary you can't focus on the puzzles so it was perfect for us! Very fun group experience. read more

Our group were just visiting from Vegas and even months later, we still talk about this experience! My husband and I are seasoned with escape games and we decided to bring some newbie friends with us. When we chose this location, we read the description of the room and had no idea what we were walking into... We experienced the Japanese Horror Room and absolute WOW! The first puzzle was just finding the location upstairs. Once the intro started the word immersive became an understatement. We've had other escape rooms where there's been actors with us and it still doesn't compare to this experience. From the very beginning until the end, the fear factor never dissipated. The instructions were clear enough to anticipate every thing that was happening. For the first few minutes we were solving puzzles, we couldn't stop huddling together and freaking out. The puzzles itself were clever; the deciphering was enjoyable and challenging. I absolutely loved how the Japanese Room is based on a true story. I think that's the biggest factor that creates the ambience of the room. Thank you to our host who really created the atmosphere and tone for everything! You really made our experience! This experience easily became top 1 for my husband and I. It's safe to say this experience is a cult classic for us! read more

Escape Game SD - Escape Games Near Me - San Diego, California

This is probably one of the best escape room spots in SD. As a huge escape room fan, I have tried several of these rooms. My favorite here is probably the Asian horror one. We had so much fun screaming and trying to solve this multiple room puzzle. It was clever! Also they have a great two room super hero room that was my second favorite. The place is a bit hidden and you enter from behind the building. Reservations are a must and this place sells out on the weekends. read more

So much fun and a great way to spend the afternoon. The kids loved it! You should definitely check it out. We will be back! FYI, minimum age is 13. read more

As an avid escape room artist (player), I think this escape room doesn't seem like much. In fact, at first glance, it's rather cheap-looking and ramshackle compared to many others. However, don't let its simple appearance fool you. We did the Japanese Thriller room, and while it was fairly easy, our host, Robert, made our experience a very memorable one. He was so friendly and willing to offer hints when asked. Even though the escape room itself wasn't the most high-end, his humor, storytelling ability, and genial nature more than made up for it. I'm not especially scared of horror, but my group was absolutely terrified in good way. Without spoiling much, there are some jump scares, but no live actors or physical touching. Still, I wouldn't recommend this room for anyone who is scared easily. The parking lot is a little hard to find, as it's in a small alley and the room itself is on the second floor of a nondescript building, so make sure to call for directions if you get lost. Would definitely go back again! read more

Escape Game SD is a great first escape room if you're looking to get into the fun of puzzles. I've played all of their rooms over the years and am happy that their Japanese Thriller room introduced me to the world of escape rooms! The wizards and spells room here is the best in my opinion, although it's not the best iteration of "Harry Potter knockoff" escape rooms in San Diego. There's two to choose from right now, and this one is by far inferior. I've found that many other companies have more developed storylines, engaging puzzles, and consistent quality of room experiences. Southern California just has a ton of great escape rooms and for me, EG SD is not a standout but is still a worthwhile experience. read more

Super fun! We were all first timers and did the depths. You have unlimited clues and they give you a heads up first before they show the answer to the clue. Our game master was aiden (sorry if misspelled!!) and he was very patient and took many pics of our successful escape on our different devices. You only have one hour to finish and they offer military discount!! read more

Such a great time! My group did the Japanese Thriller room, definitely a few jump scares but such a cool theme with some challenging puzzles. Robert was an amazing game master & made the experience such fun! Also, the entrance is in the back of the building up the stairs! read more

Very fun experience. My girlfriend & I chose the Wizard & spell room. Although "moderate" it was tough for us because we weren't much wizard & spell fans. It was super fun though to try & figure out everything. We didn't escape. However, I'd totally go back so I can finish. There is paid street parking until after 6pm in the front or free parking in back. Employees were super helpful & very funny. Note: looks sketchy... but totally legit! read more

Weird location, but the game was fun. Issues with the wands but the guy came in to help. Overall, worth it.

We took family game night to a whole new level with the help of the awesome staff and super duper ooper fun activities! Getting to work together, practice problem solving in a conflict safe environment, and achieve common goals all in one day is my kinda fun! My family will definitely be back! read more

OMG! This was so fun!!! We played the Japanese Thriller game and it was seriously so exciting. We were on our feet never knowing when a scare would happen. Our game master was very kind in giving us hints and let us finish the game past our time because we were so close to solving it!!! Definitely will be back, the experience/story-telling and overall game-play was super fun. We had adrenaline rushing through us the whole time lol. I've been to about 4 escape rooms before and this by far was my favorite. read more

I finally had my first escape room experience! My husband and I ended up solving two rooms here together all on our own, just the two of us. Fun date night for sure. We'd researched very briefly a few recommendations in San Diego, and we decided to try this place first because 1) they didn't have participant minimum, and 2) they have the JAPANESE THRILLER ROOM. Cannot go wrong with that and it was unique to Escape Game SD. We first signed up for the Wizard School one, which was fun. We ended up asking for clues often and the magic wands were a bit finicky which threw us off a little but we got extra time to complete the game yay! Then oh my, the Japanese thriller room was great. Took me right back to college days binge watching the Japanese JUON series with some friends. If you're not used to the scary creepy Japanese horror sound effects, this escape room will make you very jumpy. I had apparently gotten used to the horror game sound effects (haha) but I was still on edge! When we were here the first time, we heard a group with maximum number of participants in the Japanese Thriller room and it sounded super fun with a lot of screaming. Definitely grab all your local friends to try this room out. Thank you for the experience, Escape Game SD! read more

My boyfriend and I had such a great time here! It was his first time doing an escape room so I wanted to choose a fun game. We ended up going with the Japanese Horror themed escape room which was so cool! I had never experienced a horror room before so that was really unique. The reason for 4 stars is that it is a little outdated and old. I think they should definitely do some updates. Other than that if you're looking for a fun, spooky room I definitely recommend this one! read more

Escape Game SD - Escape Games Near Me - San Diego, California

A fun evening completing the Japanese Thriller room! We had a group of about 8 to solve the medium difficulty room. From the time we entered the staff did a great job setting the scene with some cool videos to go along with the room. Be wary with the thriller room - if anyone is easily spooked might not be the best choice. The room itself was a great setup for a group of our size so there weren't too many people solving one aspect of the puzzle. At times we were stuck and after giving honest feedback after the experience they are working to make pieces easier to complete... without giving too many details away. Our group wants to return and do the harder super hero room. We came at night and they were able to let us park in the lot behind the building for free. It was hard to find up stairs of an apartment looking building in hillcrest. Overall would highly recommend! read more

This was our first foray into doing an escape room and we experienced with two friends who has done it before. It was a blast! We did the magic and wizards room. Don't let the size of the room fool you. It was a good size for 4 people and there was enough for everyone to do. Listen to what the moderator tells you. It took us way to long to figure out the main element and we needed another 15 minutes to figure out the last bit to get out of the room. Pros: Fun, interactive, engaging Cons: the radios weren't that good. It was difficult to hear what was being said by the moderator. We will definitely be back to try to the other rooms. read more

This was fun - mostly because of our friends - but seriously low-budget, and our guide rattled off a very lengthy, corny, groan-worthy script prior to the game. The game itself is on the second floor of what looks like an apartment complex, and the props were tired and battered; for example, there were laminated pieces of paper that had been worn out and marked up with a black pen and wiped down so many times that we were reluctant to touch them. We were also peeved because we reserved for a group of 6 people in a "6- to 8- person" room, but were surprised to learn another couple had been booked with us. Apparently, if you want the room for just your 6 people, you need to tell them in advance, even though it didn't say so on the website or confirmation e-mail, and none of the three people I spoke with (there were reservation problems) said anything, either. We used a Groupon which, when I booked the room, I was told was for a discount and not admission (not true), and I was charged $99.79 on top of what I had already paid. Then, when I got the confirmation e-mail, I discovered we had been booked for January 14, **2025** instead of February 14, 2023. After speaking with a third person (who had her s*** together), the payment and date were made right, but we were never told about the two extra people. In general, it seemed like the folks taking calls were really young and didn't quite know what they were doing, the staff on site could have been a bit more professional, and they didn't seem to care much about the upkeep - or cleanliness - of their set-up. read more

There were 5 people in our family that did the Wizard and Spells escape room. We have all done escape rooms so this wasn't a new experience for us. We were given a lot of information before hand. It took us awhile to get some of the clues and asked for clues. For me I got frustrated because we felt we worked hard and became stuck numerous times. We did not make it out in time which surprising. We usually make it out of escape rooms before the 60 min. If your new at escape rooms I would not Reccommend going to this one. I heard the Japanese one they have is the most popular but they were booked. The room was decorated alright, not the best that we've seen. There is a small parking lot near the escape room , the escape room was located up stairs of a small building read more

Escape Game SD - In the Wizard and Spells room. We each got a wand which is used to get clues. - Escape Games Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great puzzles and better service! We did the Japanese horror escape room with just two of us and it was lovely. The service was also great! Lief made the experience very fun. Definitely recommend read more

My husband and I have done over 400 rooms and did 2 rooms here and they had to be 2 of the worst rooms we have ever done. Their super hero room was broken and they had to give us the answer and then thought after they gave us the number that it would be a great time to come in and try to make repairs. They also put multiple parties in a room, thankfully most rooms no longer do this and when booking the room I didn't catch that or I would not have booked here. The host talked, and talked, and talked and when asked for a clue would give you the clue on the walkie talkie and then walk into the room to tell you once again how to do something. The rooms didn't make much sense and were cheaply done with just a bunch of random locks. The wizard room had a bit of technology, but as with the other room it was broken. And be careful when walking up the stairs, I am certain it is used as someone's bathroom. I highly recommend not booking here. read more

#46 for 2018 We came in on Father's Day squimishly to play Japanese Thriller. Based on true events, The Ring and The Grudge was more fun than scary but creepy. Kathleen, our host, explained very well the rules of the game, how we could loose points from our overall score. What I liked is the winner with the fastest time would get passes to return. I'm not allowed to share what went on. It would impact your own personal experience. Just know it was lots of fun spending the time a few of our good friends and fam. I am anxious to try their other rooms. read more

Escape Game SD - Redemption At Last!! - Escape Games Near Me - San Diego, California

What a fun time. Got a nice deal on Groupon as well. Easy street parking with meters starting at 10 am, 2 hour limit about $2.50. Located on 2nd floor right off 4th ave. We decided to do the Japanese thriller and loved it. It is based off something that happened in Japan and that inspired the movie the ring and some other horror thriller movies. Corey checked us in and gave us some riddles to start to get our brains going for our 10 am session. He also gave clear and specific instructions. Find the 5 gems, they are 100 points each, get done as fast as you can because the more time, the more points you get, and don't get caught in a room when you hear a certain sound and the lights flicker, etc. Check in on Yelp to get 30 extra seconds towards your timer countdown. He said it has about a 45-50% escape rate but with 2 people it would be very hard so he gave us the option to do have 5 clues but only do 2 of the 3 rooms, 1 room already solved for us, or do all 3 rooms in the Japanese thriller but unlimited clues and help. We opted to do all 3 rooms and were glad we did. The hardest part was the first area and just trying to solve a Sudoku puzzle, we wasted a lot of time on that. We found 2 of the 5 gems, and we asked for 5 or 6 hints but mostly because we had it right, but for example, the lock was stuck because we were not pulling on it correctly to get it to open. We did get help on 1 thing that we were off base on but we got out with 3 minutes to spare, got 2130 points, and he said we were only the 2nd team of 2 that he knew of that escaped that room. Looking forward to trying another room. read more

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First time ever doing an Escape Room and we escaped! The Japanese Thriller is as creepy as it gets honestly while both challenging and the feeling of your heart dropping to your stomach at times, let me tell you through the end of our timing them clues got tricker so we all freaked out but made it out in 30 seconds left pretty much!! Definitely recommend checking them out plus loved how clean they were too, especially in these times. read more

Escape Game SD - Escape Games Near Me - San Diego, California

AMAZING EXPERIENCE!! Huge thank you to game master Robert for making our senior bonding so much fun! We did the Japanese thriller room, it was definitely a thrill. We were jumpscared a couple times but we got out with 15 minutes to spare!! I can't wait to try the other rooms they have here! read more

Escape Game SD - Escape Games Near Me - San Diego, California

We did the Japanese horror room and WOW it was so cool and creepy !! my heart was racing the entire time, the puzzles were so well designed and interesting. Reina was a fantastic game master too!! read more

Brought my family here for their first escape room experience and they loved it! So much that they insisted we come back and try the Japanese thriller room in a few months. We played the wizards and spells room and actually escaped the room. It was a great experience and the staff assisting us through the game was friendly and energetic. There's a parking lot across the street that's super cheap (around $5 for 3 hours). I would recommend using that rather than the one on the backside/ to the right of it as that one costs $7/hour. Once you try one of the rooms, you get discounts on the other rooms if you decide to come back to this location. They also have a 10% discount for all Escape room participants at the Moroccan restaurant next door, Kous Kous, which was absolutely delicious! Escape room is definitely a one of a kind experience to try with your family, friends or coworkers. If the idea of finding and unlocking clues to solve puzzles is thrilling to you, you will love this activity. read more

Escape Game SD - We won the wizards and spell room!! - Escape Games Near Me - San Diego, California

Fun escape room. We were able to escape on time with a party of 4 (one first timer). This room has a 60 percent escape rate. It was fun but not too difficult. read more

Escape Game SD - Japanese Thriller Escape Room - Escape Games Near Me - San Diego, California

Robert and the whole crew were amazing! We had to reschedule several times and they were not only understanding but funny! This was a birthday gift for my daughter and she and her friends had an awesome time. The extra details they added to the room were appreciated. We will be back! read more

My friend and I decided to do an escape room last minute and spontaneously, we called and they were able to put us with a group going at 8:45. Customer service alone was 10/10, Cam was our moderator and she was so nice and helpful. She offered water and candy to my friend and I. Thank you Cam for being so sweet :) As for escape rooms, the one we did was done so well! I've done one other escape room and it was fairly easy. But this one, we did the Japanese Thriller room, I felt had a lot more parts to figure it out and a I loved it! I recommend trying this place out, I'll definitely be back to try the other rooms :) read more

My family and I came to do the Japanese Horror, serial killer themed escape room and loved the scares that came to follow! The hostess did a great job at getting us set up into the plot; however little details that played into a big piece of the puzzle, were left out (like needing to press pound after a combo sequence). The first thirty minutes, we failed to unlock something because we had been given the wrong number of pieces. At this point, we were still in our first (out of 3) rooms in the game. So we only had 30 minutes to solve the game. . . Due to the game not being set up correctly in the first place. Again, the theme and spooks were great. But when you pay for an experience and then don't really get the "full" experience due to an error not on your own part, it does kind of rub you the wrong way. read more

I've done several of this companies escape games, the coolest/funnest one was the willie Wonka Chocolate Factory in Oceanside. Lots of cool puzzles involving interaction, not just figure out the code. Their games are well thought out and put together read more

We had an incredible time at EscapeGameSD!! We didn't think we had a chance with the superhero room, but we overcame it! Randall was the best host too, immensely helpful and hilarious as well. Truly a fantastic time, you're not gonna want to miss it!! read more

Escape Game SD - Post-game photo - Escape Games Near Me - San Diego, California